Mechanism for counting and stacking magazines and the like



Nov. 6, 1956 B. JOCHEM MECHANISM FOR COUNTING AND STACKING Filed Jan. 2, 1953 MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Nov. 6, 1956 T. B. JocHEM MECHANISM FOR COUNTING AND STACKING MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2, 1953 INVENTOR. TH/ZODOAE ,J0c/1'L'M Nov. 6, 1956 T. B. JocHEM 2,769,378

' MECHANISM FOR COUNTING AND STACKING MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 2, 1953 4 sheets-shew 5 INVENToR.

771K DOE JOC H1-M ATTORNEY Nov. 6, 1956 T. B. JocHEM 2,769,378

MECHANISM FOR COUNTING AND STACKING MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE Eiled'J-an. 2, 1955 4 sheets-shew A' M3 l M5 P JNVENTOR. F5 THL'ODORE B. JOCHEM frm. BY

ATTORNEY United States Patent O MECHANISM FOR COUNTING AND STACKING MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE Theodore B. Jochem, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Cut ler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application January 2, 1953, Serial No. 329,406

17 Claims. (Cl. 93 93) This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for counting and stacking magazines and the like, sometimes referred to as a magazine bundle delivery, and to the controls for such mechanism.

In mechanisms of this type suitable for handling relatively heavy at articles such as magazines or the like as they are delivered from the stitching machine, it is essential that as soon as one bundle has been stacked it be delivered from the stacking machine quickly enough to permit the replacement of the collecting basket before the completion of the next stack. One of the problems is that a stack cannot be moved laterally very fast or it will tumble over. Hence there must be a minimum of Atime consumed in the movements of the collecting baskets which precede and follow the actual lateral movement of the bundles out of the machine.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a stacking and bundle delivery machine which will handle bundles of articles such as magazines or the like without tipping of the bundles in the delivery.

A further object is to provide such a machine which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install,.will, make use of standard parts used in paperand magazine handling machines and conveyers, and will be fitted readily to the other component units of the paper and magazine handling machinery, such as stitchers and the like.

In the broad aspects thereof the stacker has conveyer sections employing wire belts and pulleys Vof the type used in heavy duty newspaper conveyers. There is an upper and a lower base section which lead respectively to separate bundle forming or collecting baskets. A s olenoid operated vane interlacing with thev belts of the lower..

base section in the lowered position of such vane directs the stream of articles to the upper base section. Cover or holding sections are positioned over the base sections and vane to maintain the articles on the base sections and cooperate with the vane to direct and carryvthe articles to the upper base section. All these sections have the same lineal speed as the feeder conveyer which brings the articles from the preceding machine. A single motor acting through conventional reduction transmis.- sions may drive both such feeder conveyer and stacker unit. At the delivery 'end of each base section an oversize pulley is centrally arranged to put a slight bend in the article from the leading to the following edge to keep it from folding as it is projected into the collecting basket. A collecting basket has an upper position adjacent the delivery end of each of the lower and upper base sections to catch the articles in horizontal layers to make a vertical bundle. Ea-ch basket has spaced bottom strips which interleave in the lowered position of the baskets with the belts of a slower moving delivery conveyer and an open end. Thus when a basket is lowered, such belts willengage the bundle in the basket and carry it out through the open end of the basket. Each basket is raised and lowered very fast by a cam and lever arrangement controlled by a magnetic clutch. The articles are advanced singly with a prescribed space therebetween 2,769,378 Patented Nov. 6, 1956 ICC and photoelectric cell and relay count the spaces to control a microilex counter which operating through a sys tem of relays causes the clutch of the just filled basket to operate while the clutch of the basket being filled is disengaged. The solenoid of the vane is synchronized with the clutch for the cam operating the basket for the upper base section so that the vane is' raised by such solenoid when the lower base section is filling its basket. By using a cam and lever for raising and lowering of the baskets the acceleration in such direction may be very great and little time consumed in this part of the transfer. Hence the delivery conveyer may be run at a speed slow enough to keep the bundles from tipping when engaged for lateral movement. Y

The novel features, which are considered characteristic of the invention, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as toits organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best lbe understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a counter. and stacker mechanism embodying the present invention, some parts being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken from the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan View taken from the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view taken `from the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan View taken from the line 5 5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View in end elevation taken I from the line 7 7 of Fig. l and showing a deliveryend of a base Section taken from the line 7 7 of .'Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan View taken from the line 8 8 of Fig. l and showing a collectingbasket and part of a delivery conveyer; and

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of the electrical controls forming a part of this invention.

Thel stacker shown in the drawings is mountedon a conventional frame diagrammatically indicated at 10 and is designed primarily to handle magazines 12 as they are forwarded by the wire belts 14 of a feeder conveyer from a stitcher or stapler. The magazines 12 are spaced three inches and travel with the folded ledge leading. The feeder conveyer wires 14 run around one groove in double grooved pulleys 16 spaced as shown in Fig. 5 on a shaft 18 of the lower base section. Wire belts 2 9 for such lower base section extend over an adjustable idler roller assembly 22, around grooved pulleys 24 on a shaft 26 and around the pulleys 16 in the other grooves thereof.

To keep the magazine substantially -flat as it is ejected in the collecting baskets, the shaft 26 has a cen'ter larger diameter pulley 2,3 and the shaft 18 has a single groove center pulley 3l). A center wire belt 2li rides around these pulleys., As can be seen in Figs. 5 and 7, the center wire belt I,and pulley 2S put an upward crimp in a magazine which is held `down by a pivoted wheel assembly 32 having a smaller diameter center wheel 34 alined with pulley 28 and two larger diameter wheels 36 alined with pulleys 24 on each side of pulley 28. As the crimp extends from the leading folded edge lto the Vfolloiwing edge, it stiifens the magazine so that i't will stay substantially flat until it strikes against the guard plate of the collecting basket.

The upper base section has a shaft 38 with grooyed pulleys 4t) spaced as shown in Fig. 4. Wire belts 42 for the upper base section extend over two idler pulley assemblies 44 `and 46 and around grooved pulleys 48 on a shaft Si). This shaft also has a center pulley 28 and a pivoted wheel assembly 32 rides thereabove and functions identically with the crimping arrangement described for shaft 26. The run between shaft 4t) and assembly 44 carries the magazines away from the vane 52 when delivery is being made to upper basket 54. The assembly 46 keeps the lower run of the wire :belts 42 raised high enough to provide `access from the lower base section to basket 37.

It is advisable to hold the magazines on the base sections, particularly at the inclined run -over the vane 52 up the incline of the upper base section. The cover or holding section for the lower base section and upwardly inclined portion `of the upper base section has a Shaft 56 with grooved pulleys 58 spaced as shown in Fig. 3. Wire belts 60 for ythis cover section extend below an idler pulley assembly 62 and around grooved pulleys 64 on a shaft 66 mounted on adjusting arms 68 so that it may be moved to obtain the proper spacing between the cover section and `the base section. This cover section cooperating with the lower base section grips each magazine and forces it up `-to t-he vane 52 and into engagement with the inclined run of the upper base section.

The cover section for the downwardly inclined part of the upper base section has a shaft 70 with grooved pulleys 72 spaced as shown inFig. 2. Wire belts 74 for this section extend both above and below pulleys 76 -on the shaft 66 and around grooved pulleys 78 on a shaft 80. T-he wire belts 74 interleave with the wire belt 60 as can be seen in Fig. 3. Thus this cover section forces the magazines down on the upper run of the upper base section as they leave the upwardly inclined part thereof.

The magazines are directed from the lower base section to the upwardly inclined portion of the base section by the vane 52 which, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, comprises a plurality of vanes 52 mounted on a shaft 82 and spaced to interleave with the wire belts so that in the lower position thereof the forward ends of such vanes will lie below the upper surface of the belts 20 and magazines being moved by such belts and the belts 6i) are carried along the upper surface of such vanes until grasped by the belts 42 and 60 to continue traveling on the upper base section. The vane 52 drops by its own weight to the lower position. However, it is raised to an ineffective position by a vane solenoid V connected by link 84 and lever (not sho/wn) to the shaft 82. In the raised position the magazines will continue to travel on the belts Ztl of the lower base conveyer.

The detail of the structure of the various pulleys, wire belts, shafts, and bearings are well known to those skilled in this art and are standard equipment in the newspaper conveying eld. They are therefore not shown or described.

`Power for driving the feeder conveyor 14 and the sections of the stackerV unit is supplied by electric motor 86 connected by a standard speed reducing transmission indicated by broken line 88 to the shaft 18. This shaft in turn reversely drives the shaft S6 at the same speed through transmission mechanism diagrammatically shown at 90. The shafts 56 and 70 `are connected by transmission mechanism indicated at 92 and both rotate in the same direction 4at the same speeds. The shaft 38 is connected to the shaft 18 by a step-up speed transmission 94 so that the pulleys 40 will have the same peripheral speed as the pulleys 16. Thus all of the wire belts contacting the magazines are being driven at the same lineal speed.

The transfer mechanism previously described can deliver magazines either at the shaft 26 or the shaft S0. Positioned at such shafts as shown in Fig. 1 are collecting baskets 37 and 54. As these baskets are of identical construction, only cne will be described in detail.

Each basket is carried by vertical `supports 96 secured down friction and decrease wear.

to opposite 4sides 102. These supports are guided in spaced pairs of rollers 98 which may be flanged to impart support both front and rear and sidewise. Because basket 54 has `a greater travel, the supports 98 are longer `as shown. Each basket has a back 100 -connected to the sides 102, the top of which is spaced from the top of the sides .as indicated to provide an entrance for the magazines. Part of the bottom is formed by straps 104 bent inwardly from the sides 182 and welded to back'100. In between the straps 104 is another pair yof straps 106 which have vertical legs extending part way up the outside of the back 10@ and welded thereto. The forward ends of vall the straps are curved downwardly as indicated at 108 to provide more vertical space for the slightly thicker folded edges of the magazine stacked in such basket. This permits the stock being formed to present an approximately horizontal or downward sloping surface to a magazine entering the basket. The baskets are thus completely open at the forward end (-to the right as viewed). The space between `the straps is wide enough to receive the three spaced flat belts of the delivery conveyer. Hence, as a basket is lowered, these conveyer belts extend upwardly through such `spaces and take the. entire weight of the bundle of magazines in such basket and carry such bundle to the right out the open end of the basket. The magazines when projected into the baskets from the base sections hit their forward folded ends against guard plates 109. These guard plates have rearwardly sloping extensions 110 which reach almost to the front edge of Ithe sides 182 and guide the magazines to a center position in the basket. lt is preferable to make such plates in two sections and to mount them to the framework by fastening means 1'12 so that they may be adjusted rel-ative to each other for varying sizes of magazines. These plates being rigidly fixed on the frame remain in position when the baskets 37 and 54 are lowered, thus exposing the front end of the baskets in the lowered position thereof.

The baskets 37 and 54 are raised and lowered by separately controlled cam and lever arrangements. A transverse channel (not shown) extending between the vertical supports 96 at the bottom thereof carries a centrally positioned roller 114. The roller of basket 37 is engaged by a pivoted lever 116 and the roller of basket 54 is engaged by a pivoted lever 118. The lever 116 is operated by a cam 120 carried by a shaft 122. The lever 118 is operated by a cam 124 carried by a shaft 126. The levers may have rollers 127 which engage with the cams to cut The cams and levers are of substantially the same shape. However, lever 118 is longer than lever 116, and cam 124 is slightly larger than cam 120, to cause the lever 118 to have a greater throw at its outer end and thus raise and lower the basket 54 through a greater distance than basket 37. The shafts 122 and 126 4are controlled and operated in sequence as hereinafter described.

The delivery conveyer has a drive shaft 128 on which are mounted three spaced pulleys 130 which carry three separate wide cotton fabric belts 132. These belts pass over supporting pulley assemblies 134 and around pulleys 136 on the shaft 138. Each belt is provided with a belt tightener 140. The belts are laced as tightly as possible without any tension on the belt tightener. As can be most clearly seen in Fig. 8, the belts are spaced so as to interleave with the bottom straps 104 and 106 of the baskets. The power for operating the delivery conveyer and the shafts 122 and 126 is transmitted from the shaft 18 to the shaft 128 by `a reduction transmission mechanism indicated schematically at 142. A reduction is necessary because the delivery conveyor operates at much slower speed than the stacking sections. The shaft 128 is connected separately to each of the shafts 122 and 126 by transmission mechanisms indicated schematically at 141 and 143 in which are respectively included electromagnetic clutches MA and MB.

The counting of the magazines entering the stacker unit, the synchronization of the operation of the basket operat- -ing shafts 122 and 126, and vane 52 are controlled by an electrical system which incorporates a photorelay P and light source Lt, batch counter BC, vane operating solenoid V, the electromagnetic clutches MA and MB, and various and sundry controlling relays. This system and components are schematically and diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 9.

Each relay (including its solenoid) and the contacts controlled thereby are designated by the same capital letter. Each normally open contact is further designated by an odd number `and each normally closed contact by an even number. In the schematic diagram of Fig. 9 the relays and the contacts controlled thereby are vertically :alined, and the contacts are shown in the positions assumed before the start button 144 is closed. The normally open contacts are indicated by the contact bars spaced below the contacts, and the normally closed contacts by the contact bars placed on top of the contacts. Relays A to F inclusive, and H and M are standard non-latching types. Relay G is a mechanically held relay of standard design. It will remain in the last set position until reenergized. It is shown in the down position, having been set by previous energization of .the solenoid GT. It is moved to the up position of energization of the .solenoid GC. Relay T is a standard timing relay and is :set to open after the lapse of time somewhat less than :that required for a stack of articles yto be collected in one -of baskets'37 or 54 and somewhat longer than that required for a 60 rotation of one of basket controlling .cams 120 and 124. Thus it will keep relay E or relay F :energized after counter clutch contact N2 opens. '.the control relays are supplied by vertical power lines p wand p-1 from a suitable source of power.

All

The counting is done by a beam from a light source Lt impinging on a photocell PC of a photo-relay P which controls a microex reset batch counter BC. Such a fcounter is schematically shown in Fig. 9 and has a clutch BCI which is engaged upon the closing of the starter button 144 after a warm-up period. Thereafter impulses imparted by the photorelay P operate a batch counter L and drive a ratchet wheel BC2. This wheel rotates a cam BCS which may be adjustably set to open release contact BC4 and de-energize the clutch BC1 after a determined number of articles have passed through the beam. This permits a rewind spring BCS to reset the cam BCS. A batch counter mechanism indicated at BC6 may register the number of stacks or bundles made. The beam operates on the spaces between each magazine 12 and consequently the first bundle registered will contain one less magazine than registered by the counter setting. One count is made when the warming period is completed before the magazine passes through the beam.

The vane solenoid V when energized lifts vane l52 so that the magazines are directed -to basket 37. A holding switch V1 is closed when the solenoid V is energized. The solenoids MA and MB of the magnetic clutches Iare operated by a source of D. C. current supplied by a rectitier R. Limit switches MA1 and MB1 are kept open by cams 146 and -148 respectively when the baskets 37 and 54 are in the up position. These cams are carried on the shafts 122 and I126 respectively and are therefore tied in with the raising and lowering cams 120 and 124.

lSuch limit switches close `after the shafts l12.2 and 126 are rotated .approximately 60 clockwise from the first opening lof such limit switches. When closed the limit switches keep the circuits for the magnetic clutches MB and MA energized, thus continuing the lowering Iand raising of the baskets `once commenced [by lthe relays E or -F.

Relays A and B control: (-1) the cincuit for the light source Lt and associated photorelay P; (2) the circuit for 'the moto-r switch relay M; and (3) the main circuit *'to the batch counter relays L and N, Vane solenoid V,

rectifier R for magnetic clutches MBl vand MA, and all the control relays associated therewith. The photorelay P 'controls the operation of the counter solenoid L `and counter clutch relay N. Mechanical lock relay G catalogues the position of vane 52 `and determines that such vane will tbe raised when magnetic clutch MB is energized and will be lowered when magnetic clutch MA is energized. Such control lof the mechanical lock relay G is accomplished through relay E when .filling basket 37 and through relay .F when filling basket 54. Relays H and T are essentially holding relays which take over the circuit when relay N opens contact N2 after the warming period. The relay T will keep contact T2 closed until the moving one of cams `1'20 or 124 has rotated at lea-st 60 and the respective limit switch MA1 or MB1 close. Then the timer relay T will de-energize Ithe energiz-ed one of relays \F or `E placing control of the clutch solenoids yon the limit switches. This assumes that the basket will continue to be lowered and then raised to Afull lheight ybefore stopping.

The following description of a full cyclev of operation starting from the position shown in the drawings will illustrate the functioning of the stacker mechanism. In the first part of this cycle the basket 37 is being filled while the empty basket 54 makes a useless downward and return trip.

Control relays A and B upon momentary closing of the starter button 144 energize the light Lt and start the warm-up period. During this period Contact A2 and re,- lay M are open and the conveyer and stacker sections not operating. After the warm-up period the beam from the light Lt to the photocell Pc will energize photorelay P. Such relay will be de-energized and assume the down position shown whenever the beam is interrupted by a magazine 12 passing through such beam. The first energization of the photorelay P drops out the relay A, closing contact A2 and starting the conveyer motor 86, which will continue until relay B is dropped out by the stop button 150. The first and each subsequent energization of photorelay P successively energizes the relays C and D. Relay C through contact C1 causes successive operation of solenoid L and thus advances the batch counter. Relay D through contact D1 energizes counter clutch relay N which closes the clutch BCl at the same time shunting contact D1 by contact N1 so that relay N remains closed A even when relay D thereafter opens and thus holds the clutch BCI closed.

The momentary closing of the starter button V144 closes contact B5 as heretofore described and connects the line p to the circuits for the other relays. Relay E is energized through contacts N2, G2, and F2. Relays H and T are also energized through contact N2. Relay E opens contact E2 to lock out relay F, closes contact E1 to shunt contact G2, closes contact E3 to energize relay GC to shift that mechanically held relay to the up position, closes contact E5 to energize solenoid V to raise the vane 52 and open the path to basket 37, and closes contact E7 to energize magnetic clutch solenoid MB. Since the motor-86 had not yet started, the cam 124 does not start to turn. Relay H closes contact H1, but relay T being a timing relay as described did not open contact T2, thus keeping relay Efclosed even after contacts N2 open at the end of the warm-up period. When the warm-up period is over and the motor M starts to run, the lower base section will deliver magazines under raised vane 52 to basket 37. During the stacking of magazines in basket 37 the shaft 126 will rotate and basket 54 will be quickly lowered, held in lowered position llong enough to permit the delivery conveyer to remove a bundle of magazines (there is none the first time), and then quickly raised to bundle receiving position. Limit switch MB1 will open the clutch MB when basket 54 reaches the top position. Meantime relay T2 has held relay E closed. However, after limit switch MB1 closes, T2 will open and relay E will open. Contact V1 having shunted contact E5, Vthe vane 52 will still `be raised.

`1ocked in raised position and contact Gl closed. The

energization of relay F closes contact F1 to shunt contact G1, opens contact F2 to lock out relay E, closes contact F3 to energize relay GT and shift relay G to the lower mechanically locked position shown, opens con- 'tact F4 to lock out solenoid V and maintain the vane 52 in lowered position, and closes contact F5 to energize clutch solenoid MA. At the same time contact N2 energizes relays H and T so that they will perform the identical function heretofore described for the first part of the cycle. The magazines 12 are now delivered over the vane 52 and along the upper base section to basket 54. The clutch MA now energized causes the basket 37 to be quickly lowered by the rotation of shaft 122, cam 120, and operation of lever 116, so that the bundle of magazines therein will be picked up by the delivery conveyer and carried out of the open end of such basket. The basket 37 will be quickly raised to its full position by the continuation of such rotation, at which point such rotation will be stopped by the opening of limit switch MA1. During this time the relays H and T have functioned as previously described and relay F becomes deenergized before the complete filling of basket 54. Upon the filling of basket 54 the cam BC3 will act as previously described to de-encrgize relay N, thereby opening clutch BCI, resetting the batch counter, and closing contact N2 to again start the first part of the cycle (without a warmup period).

When a run of magazines has been completed and no more are being delivered to the stacking mechanism, the clear button 152 is opened. This de-energizes the relay N and opens clutch BC1 to reset the batch counter and cause that basket which has then received an incomplete bundle to go through the lowering and discharge movements in the same way as if such relay N had been opened by the batch cam BCS.

The opening of stop button 150 cuts out all relays, stopping the entire device. This loses the count and will require an additional warm-up period when the start button 144 is again pressed. It is therefore advisable to incorporate a mechanically held jam-stop button 154 in the circuit to the relay M and light Lt. If the magazines jam the mechanism, such jam-stop button is pressed, the light will be darkened and the motor stopped. The feeder conveyer 14 will thus not flood the stacking mechanism with magazines and the count of the batch counter will not be disturbed by the operator interrupting the beam when loosening the jam. When the jam-stop button is again closed by manual action, the motor and light will both be energized to restart the equipment without any warm-up.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to cover such changes or modifications as come within the spirit of the invention Vor scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for counting, stacking in bundles, and delivering bundles of flat articles received continuously comprising, means for counting the articles as received, means for conveying said articles selectively to a plurality of collecting baskets, said collecting baskets being vertically movable from article receiving positions to delivery positions, a bundle delivery conveyor alined with said baskets anddisposed below their article receiving positions for removing bundles from said baskets in said delivery positions, separate means for moving said collecting baskets from said article receiving positions to said delivery positions, and 4selecting means controlled by .said countingmeans for causing one of said basket moving means to move one basket to its delivery position and back to its article receiving position while the other basket moving means holds its basket in article receiving position.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said collecting baskets are in spaced apart Yrelation along the line of travel of said articles.

3. A device for counting, stacking in bundles, and delivering bundles of at articles received continuously comprising, means for counting said articles as received, means for conveying said articles selectively to a plurality of collecting baskets, said collecting baskets being movable from article receiving positions to delivery positions, a bundle delivery conveyor for removing bundles from said baskets in said delivery positions, separate means each of which includes a unidirectionally rotatable cam and a pivoted lever operated by said cam for moving an associated basket from article receiving position to delivery position, and selecting means including a clutch for each of' said cams operable under the control of said counting means for causing one of said basket moving means to move its basket to delivery position while the other basket moving means is inoperative.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said separate means for movingsaid collecting baskets includes a unidirectionally rotatable cam and a pivoted lever operated thereby, said selecting means includes a clutch for each cam operable under the control of said counting means, and each of said cams has a surface defining the vertical movement and delivery position times for its associated basket.

5. A device for counting, stacking in bundles, and delivering bundles of flat articles received continuously comprising, meansfor counting said articles as received, means for conveying said articles selectively `to a plurality of collecting baskets which are movable from article receiving positions to delivery positions, each of said baskets having sides, an open end and a bottom formed by spaced slats, a'bundle delivery conveyor comprising spaced belts to interleave with the spaced slats of said baskets for removing bundles from said baskets in said delivery positions, separate means for moving said collecting baskets from said article receiving positions to said delivery positions, and selecting means controlled by said counting means for causing one of said basket moving means to move one basket to delivery position while the other basket moving means is inoperative.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which guard plates are fixedly positioned to close the open end of said collecting baskets in the article receiving position thereof.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 whereirrsaid guard plates each comprise a portion extending transversely of the open end of a collecting basket and a portion extending at an obtuse angle from the first mentioned portion toward the front edge of a side of said basket.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which said spaced slats are constructed and arranged to provide extra space for a thi-cker folded edge of said articles being stacked therein.

9. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which said spaced slats have convexly depressed end portions at the open end of said baskets to provide clearance space for the thicker folded ends of said articles being stacked therein.

l0. A device for counting, stacking in bundles and delivering bundles of flat articles received continuously in spaced file comprising a light beam and photorelay operable by the breaking of such `beam upon the passing therethrough of said spaced articles, a lower base section .for delivering articles to a first collection point, an upper base section for delivering articles to a second collection point, a vvanekmovable to cooperable positionrwith said lower base section for directing articles from said lower base section to said upper base section and movable to a non-cooperable position relative thereto, a solenoid operatively connected to said vane, collecting baskets for said collection points movable from collecting position to discharge position, separate means for moving such baskets each including an electromagnetic clutch, said clutches and said solenoid being coordinated for action of said clutches selectively as said solenoid is energized and deenergized to move said vane to diierent positions selectively and electromechanical counting means and a control circuit therefor operated by said photo-relay to elect the aforestated action of said solenoid and said clutches.

l1. A device as claimed in claim in which said electromechanical counting means and control circuit includes a mechanically held relay shiftable from one to another position upon each starting of said counting means.

l2. A device as claimed in claim 1l in which said electromechanical counting means and control circuit includes limit switches opened by said baskets to stop movement thereof in said collecting positions.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12 in which said electromechanical counting means and control circuit includes a timer relay remaining closed after energization until said limit switches have been closed.

14. In a device for counting substantially at articles, forming such articles in bundles, and delivering said bundles, at least two collecting stations to which articles are delivered for forming into bundles, means for directing predetermined numbers of articles to one and the other of said collecting stations, collecting baskets for each of said collecting stations which are vertically movable from collecting position to discharge position, a single delivery ccnveyer below said collecting stations and alined with said collecting baskets to receive bundles from each of said baskets in said discharge position, and means synchronized with said irst means for holding a rst basket in collecting position and lowering a second basket to discharge position and -then raising said second basket to collecting position while said first basket is being lled.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14 in which said collecting stations have Xed article abutting and stack alining plates and said baskets have open ends closed by said plates when in said collecting position.

16. A device as claimed in cliam 15 in which said baskets have bottoms with a slot receiving said conveyer when said baskets are in discharge position.

17. An electrical control system for a stacking device having article directing conveyers, a switching device for directing the ow of articles from one to another of said conveyers, and bundle forming baskets at the ends of said conveyers having motivating means energizable to vertically move said baskets from bundle forming to bundle discharge position, comprising a photoelectric relay and light beam successively operated by articles entering said device, control relays operated by said photoelectric relay, a batch counter operated by said control relays, a solenoid for said switching device, electromagnetic controls for said motivating means, a selection relay for energizing said solenoid and one of said electromagnetic controls, a second selection relay for energizing another of said electromagnetic controls, and a mechanical lock relay for selecting first one and then another of said selection relays, said mechanical lock relay being controlled for selective positioning by the selection relays and said batch counter.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,460,059 Fine June 26, 1923 2,157,228 Buccicone et al. May 9, 1939 2,375,241 Lindgren et al. May 8, 1945 2,424,093 Harred July 15, 1947 2,485,943 Turrall Oct. 24, 1949 2,540,972 Wagner et al. Feb. 6, 1951 2,606,483 Forbes Aug. 12, 1952 

